March 2017

Spring Skiing Sets Records in 2017

Gambian Envoy Disavows LongtimeRuler to Back Elected President

It's not every day that an ambassador risks everything by urging the longtime dictator back home to relinquish power. But that's exactly what happened when Gambian President Yahya Jammeh refused to concede defeat following the election of real estate developer Adama Barrow — and Gambian Ambassador Sheikh Omar Faye took a principled stand by imploring the brutal autocrat to see the writing on the wall. Read More

Creating Chaos

Five Hotspots to Watch Out ForIn Trump's Conflict-Ridden World

President Trump's penchant for chaos has turned the world order upside down, generating the possibility of fresh conflicts from China to Ukraine to Mexico. The Washington Diplomat highlights the top five hotspots around the world to watch out for as he begins his presidency. Read More

Trump's 'Betrayal'

Trump's Travel Ban Feels LikeStab in The Back for Iraqis

For many Iraqis, especially those who fought alongside U.S. troops since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, seeing their country on Donald Trump's now-infamous blacklist of refugees barred from the U.S. felt like a "betrayal," as Iraq's former ambassador, Lukman Faily — himself banned from visiting the U.S. — described it. Read More

Testing Limits of Dissent

Trump's Refugee Ban SparksUproar at State Department

President Donald Trump's brief time in office has already been unprecedented in many ways, including the level of vociferous dissent he has triggered in the State Department. More than 1,000 Foreign Service and civil service officers signed a dissent memo objecting to Trump's executive order banning entry visas for citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries. Read More

Op-Ed

Was State Department's Dissent MemoAct of Conscience or PR Stunt?

Some 1,000 employees at the Department of State are said to have signed a formal memo sent through the "Dissent Channel" in late January, opposing President Donald Trump's executive order suspending the admission of all refugees for 120 days. But what does the memo say to the new Secretary of State Rex Tillerson about the organization he now heads, and what will he do about it? Read More

The Manufacturing Mystery

Trade, Automation, Wages ConspireTo Alter U.S. Economic Landscape

As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump struck a protectionist, populist tone that appealed to Rust Belt blue-collar workers but instilled fear among multinational companies, foreign governments and free trade advocates. Those fears were apparently well founded. Read More

Global Gala

D.C.'s World Affairs Council HonorsThose Who Unify, Educate and Inform

At a time when Washington feels divided, the World Affairs Council – Washington, DC is preparing to honor five organizations for their unifying global contributions at its annual HONORS: Global Education Gala, to be held March 29. Read More

How to Be Like Ike

Eisenhower's PresidencyOffers Lessons for Trump

President Donald Trump To be sure, Dwight D. Eisenhower's personal and professional background could not be more different than Donald Trump's and the political world he dominated is of a different century — and seemingly different universe — than today's. Nonetheless, there are lessons from Ike that Trump would be wise to consider. Read More

Medical

Heart Disease Could Cost U.S.$1 Trillion Per Year by 2035: Report

Heart disease is increasing at a troubling pace in the United States, with costs expected to double from $555 billion in 2016 to a whopping $1.1 trillion in 2035, a new American Heart Association (AHA) report estimates. Read More

Films - March 2017

Languages

Film Highlight

25 Years of Environmental Films

The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital (DCEFF), the world’s premier showcase of environmentally themed films, celebrates its 25th anniversary March 14 to 26 with more than 150 films that attract an audience of over 27,000.

This year’s festival includes 55 international films from 32 different countries. Most screenings will include discussions with filmmakers, scientists and environmental experts, and many are held in conjunction with the city’s embassies.

Arabic

Gaza Surf Club

Directed by Philip Gnadt and Mickey Yamine

(Germany, 2016, 87 min.)

Trapped in the world's largest open-air prison and ruled by war, a new generation in Palestine is drawn to the beaches. Sick of occupation and political gridlock, they find their own personal freedom in the waves.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Mon., March 20, 7 p.m.

English

Angry Inuk

Directed by Alethea Arnaquq-Baril

(Canada, 2016, 85 min.)

An Inuk filmmaker explores the central role of seal hunting as part of a sustainable and ethical industry and lifestyle that has supported Inuit peoples for centuries.

National Museum of the American Indian

Sun., March 19, 2 p.m.

Atlantic

Directed by Risteard O'Domhnaill

(Ireland/Canada/Norway, 2016, 80 min.)

Focusing on fish and oil — the two biggest resources in the North Atlantic — "Atlantic" follows the fortunes of three small fishing communities as they struggle to maintain their way of life in the face of mounting economic and ecological challenges.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sun., March 5, 2:30 p.m.

The Beekeeper and His Son

Directed by Diedie Weng

(Switzerland/Canada, 2016, 85 min.)

In a rural village in northern China, a father and son's apiary clash, captured with intimacy, artfulness and humor, echoes the conflict between tradition and modernization.

AFI Silver Theatre

Mon., March 20, 7:15 p.m.

Born in China

Directed by Lu Chuan

(China/U.S., 2017, 76 min.)

Navigating China's vast terrain, from the frigid mountains to the heart of the bamboo forest, this documentary follows the adventures of three animal families — the majestic panda, the savvy golden monkey, and the elusive snow leopard (English and Mandarin).

National Museum of Natural History

Sun., March 19, 1 p.m.

Brothers of the Wind

Directed by Gerardo Olivares and Otmar Penker

(Austria, 2016, 98 min.)

When an eagle chick is pushed out of his nest, Lukas rescues him and cares for him in secret, finding a love denied to him at home.

Avalon Theatre

Sat., March 18, 10 a.m.

Galapagos by Christian Zuber

Directed by Christian Zuber

(France, 1976, two 35 min. films)

Discover the famed archipelago, as you navigate aboard a boat at the heart of the islands, viewing never- before-seen footage and photos of this paradise and the rare species that dwell there.

Embassy of France

Fri., March 17, 7 p.m.

I Am Not Your Negro

Directed by Raoul Peck

(France/U.S., 2017, 95 min.)

In 1979, James Baldwin wrote a letter to his literary agent describing his next project, which was to be a revolutionary, personal account of three assassinated leaders who were also his close friends: Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. At the time of Baldwin's death in 1987, he left behind only 30 completed pages of his manuscript. Now, in his incendiary new documentary, master filmmaker Raoul Peck envisions the book James Baldwin never finished.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Letters from Baghdad

Directed by Zeva Oelbaum and Sabine Krayenbühl

(U.S./U.K./France, 2016, 95 min.)

British spy, explorer, and writer Gertrude Bell shaped the destiny of Iraq in ways that still reverberate. Told mainly in Bell's words, the film gradually reveals her remarkable story through spectacular historical footage while chronicling Bell's journey into both an uncharted Arabian desert and the inner sanctums of British colonial power.

National Gallery of Art

Sat., March 25, 3 p.m.

Lion

Directed by Garth Davis

(Australia, 2016, 120 min.)

A 5-year-old Indian boy gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, thousands of miles from home. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia. Not wanting to hurt his adoptive parents' feelings, he suppresses his past, his emotional need for reunification and his hope of ever finding his lost mother and brother for 25 years. But a chance meeting with some fellow Indians reawakens his buried yearning (English, Bengali and Hindi).

Angelika Mosaic

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Long Way North

Directed by Rémi Chayé

(France/Denmark, 2016, 81 min.)

Set in 1892, this animated adventure follows a 15-year-old Russian aristocrat as she leaves behind her comfortable St. Petersburg life in the hopes of tracking down and saving her beloved grandfather, a famous explorer who has gone missing near the North Pole (English and French).

National Gallery of Art

Sat., March 18, 11:30 a.m.,

Sun., March 19, 11:30 a.m.

My Life as a Zucchini

Directed by Claude Barras

(Switzerland/France, 2017, 68 min.)

Nine-year-old Icare, who prefers the nickname Zucchini, is left alone after the sudden death of his mother. Taken by a friendly policeman to his new foster home, filled with other orphans his age, he at first struggles in the strange and sometimes hostile environment, but Zucchini soon discovers he can make new friends.

Landmark's Theatres

Opens Fri., March 3

A Plastic Ocean

Directed by Craig Leeson

(Hong Kong/U.K./U.S., 2016, 102 min.)

An international team of adventurers, researchers, and ocean ambassadors embark on a mission around the globe to uncover the shocking truth about what is truly lurking beneath the surface of our seemingly pristine ocean.

Angelika Mosaic

Tue., March 21, 7 p.m.

The Sense of an Ending

Directed by Ritesh Batra

(U.K., 2017, 108 min.)

A man becomes haunted by his past and is presented with a mysterious legacy that causes him to re-think his current situation in life.

Angelika Mosaic

Opens Fri., March 17

Silence

Directed by Martin Scorsese

(Mexico/Taiwan/U.S., 2017, 161 min.)

Two priests travel to Japan in an attempt to locate their mentor and propagate Catholicism.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Sing Street

Directed by John Carney

(Ireland/U.K./U.S., 2016, 106 min.)

Teenager Conor, experiencing trouble at home with his bickering parents and struggling to fit in at his new school, finds new purpose when he falls for the glamorous Raphina. Trying to impress her, he invites her to star in his band's new music video, despite not actually having a band.

AFI Silver Theatre

Fri., March 3, 9:45 p.m.,

Sun., March 5, 9 p.m.

Sixteen Legs

Directed by Niall Doran and Justin Smith

(Australia, 2016, 101 min.)

With the approach of the next period of global mass extinction, a message of hope comes from an unlikely hero: a creature, often reviled, that has survived previous mass extinctions and climatic change in a magical ecosystem hidden beneath one of the world's last great wildernesses in Tasmania.

National Museum of Natural History

Sat., March 18, 4:15 p.m.

South

Directed by Gerard Walsh

(Ireland, 2016, 80 min.)

When Tom hits the road to find his estranged mother, beloved guitar in-hand, he begins to overcome his crippling stage fright as a musician, and meets a free-spirited young woman who captivates his mind and heart.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sun., March 5, 4:45 p.m.

A United Kingdom

Directed by Amma Asante

(U.S./U.K./Czech Republic, 2017, 111 min.)

Prince Seretse Khama of Botswana causes an international stir when he marries a white woman from London in the late 1940s, just as apartheid was being introduced to South Africa.

Angelika Mosaic

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Landmark's E Street Cinema

You've Been Trumped Too

Directed by Anthony Baxter

(U.K., 2017, 80 min.)

The deeply troubling confrontation between a feisty 92-year-old Scottish widow and her family and a billionaire developer who is now the U.S. president is explored in this timely and explosive film.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Fri., March 17, 7 p.m.

The Young Offenders

Directed by Peter Foott

(Ireland, 2016, 84 min.)

What do you get if you mix Ireland's biggest-ever cocaine seizure and two cheeky, foul-mouthed teenagers from Cork on the road trip of a lifetime? That would be this unlikely coming-of-age yarn that struck comedy gold at the Irish box office last fall.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sun., March 5, 6:30 p.m.

War on Everyone

Directed by John Michael McDonagh

(Ireland/U.K., 2016, 98 min.)

Two corrupt New Mexico cops determined to blackmail and frame every criminal unfortunate enough to cross their path. Things take a sinister turn, however, when they try to intimidate someone who is more dangerous than they are.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sat., March 4, 7:45 p.m.

Wild City: Urban Wild

Produced by Beach House Pictures for Channel News Asia

(Singapore, 2015, 45 min.)

Explore the wild side of Singapore, a tropical paradise that became a city, whose 5.4 million people make it one of the most densely populated nations on earth. Screens with "Wild City: Islands" (Singapore, 2015, 45 min.), which explores Singapore's coasts and islands, home to an array of fascinating creatures.

Embassy of Singapore

Wed., March 22, 7 p.m.

Window Horses: The Poetic Persian Epiphany of Rosie Ming

Directed by Ann Marie Fleming

(Canada, 2016, 89 min.)

Anne Marie Fleming's animated feature features her alter ego Stick Girl as a struggling poet who is invited to a poetry festival in Iran. There, she meets fellow poets from around the world, learns about the rich Persian poetry tradition, and seeks to unravel the mystery of her Iranian-born father, who left when she was a little girl.

S. Dillon Ripley Center

Sun., March 5, 1 and 3 p.m.

The Zookeeper's Wife

Directed by Niki Caro

(U.S., 2017)

The keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Antonina and Jan Zabinski, help save hundreds of people and animals during the German invasion of World War II.

Angelika Mosaic

Opens Fri., March 31

Dutch

Silent Land: The Fight for Fair Food

Directed by Jan van den Berg

(The Netherlands, 2016, 73 min.)

In Cambodia, more and more fertile land is taken over by large-scale farming industries while farmer families are fighting to keep the ownership of their land in order to maintain local food security.

The George Washington University Marvin Center

Thu., March 23, 7 p.m.

Farsi

The Salesman

(Forushande)

Directed by Asghar Farhadi

(Iran/France, 2017, 125 min.)

A young couple living in Tehran act together in an amateur production of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman." When their flat becomes damaged, they are forced to move into a new apartment, where an intruder attacks the wife, prompting her husband to become an amateur detective in an attempt to find the assailant and soothe his wife's addled nerves.

Angelika Mosaic

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Finnish

Return of the Atom

Directed by Mika Taanila and Jussi Eerola

(Finland/Germany, 2015, 110 min.)

Finland was the first country in the west to give permission to build a new nuclear power plant after the Chernobyl disaster. This film portrays the strange and stressful life in a small "nuclear town" during an era of nuclear renaissance.

Embassy of Finland

Thu., March 23, 6:30 p.m.

French

Antarctica, in the Footsteps of the Emperor

Directed by Jérôme Bouvier

(France, 2016, 90 min.)

In this ode to the biodiversity and protection of the white continent in the face of climate change, this documentary focuses on a rapidly transforming continent and its inhabitants, including a key species, the Emperor Penguin.

Embassy of France

Tue., March 21, 7 p.m.

César

Directed by Marcel Pagnol

(France, 1936, 142 min.)

The third part of writer/director Marcel Pagnol's epic love story begins 20 years after the events of "Fanny." Her son, Césariot, is in a military academy, and Panisse (Fernand Charpin) is on his deathbed, where the doting father refuses to tell his son about his biological father. Fanny then divulges the secret, which sends Césariot on a search for his own identity and for Marius, whose life has been filled with calamity and poverty.

Landmark's Theatres

Opens Fri., March 10

Fanny

Directed by Marc Allégret

(France, 1932, 127 min.)

The second part of screenwriter Marcel Pagnol's epic love story follows Fanny's grief after Marius's departure—and her realization that she's pregnant. Panisse continues courting her and embraces the baby's impending arrival as a gift, so long as its paternity remains a secret. Fanny and Panisse wed, but after her baby's birth, Marius returns unexpectedly and demands what he believes is still his.

Landmark's Theatres

Opens Fri., March 10

Little Gems

(Les Pépites)

Directed by Xavier de Lauzanne

(France, 2016, 88 min.)

The French NGO Pour un Sourire d'Enfant (For a Child's Smile), or PSE, started in 1996 with around 20 children, to whom a daily meal was given directly on the Cambodian landfill they lived on. Soon, it involved hundreds and then thousands of children. Founders Christian and Marie-France des Pallières overcame a variety of obstacles and today, about 6,500 children receive general education and vocational training to support the whole family (French and Khmer).

Embassy of France

Marius

Directed by Alexander Korda

(France, 1931, 127 min.)

In the first part of screenwriter Marcel Pagnol's epic love story, Marius, a handsome young barman working at his father's waterfront bar in the busy port city of Marseille, and Fanny, the spirited girl who sells shellfish in front of the bar, fall in love. They seem destined to be together forever, but Marius cannot overcome his deep yearning to see the world.

Landmark's Theatres

Opens Fri., March 10

The Promise

Directed by Zeljko Mirkovic

(Serbia/Belgium/France/Montenegro, 2016, 74 min.)

This character driven feature documentary follows the extraordinary experience of a French family who moved to the remote village of Rogljevo in Serbia to make wine. The French promise to revive the ancient wine glory of a forgotten region, but a clash of cultures and mentalities puts that goal into question (French and Serbian).

Embassy of France

Fri., March 10, 7 p.m.

Seasons

Directed by Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud

(France, 2015, 95 min.)

This documentary captures exceptional footage of the wild, diverse and wonderful animal life in Europe's forests, now under threat from climate change and human civilization.

Carnegie Institution for Science

Sun., March 26, 7 p.m.

Voices from Chernobyl

Directed by Pol Crutchen

(Luxembourg, 2016, 86 min.)

Eyewitness reports from the survivors of one of the worst nuclear disasters in history recount the short and long-term horrors of the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Thu., March 16, 7 p.m.

German

The Day the Sun Fell

Directed by Aya Domenig

(Switzerland/Finland, 2015, 78 min.)

Swiss-Japanese filmmaker Aya Domenig, the granddaughter of a Red Cross doctor on duty during the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, approaches the experience of her deceased grandfather by tracing the lives of a doctor and of former nurses who were there also (German and Japanese).

Avalon Theatre

Sat., March 18, 1 p.m.

One of Us

Directed by Lothar Riedl

(Austria, 2015, 40 min.)

"One of Us" tells the story of Austrian farmer Franz Jägerstätter (1907-43), who as a conscientious objector refused to serve in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II and was sentenced to death and executed in 1943. The screening is followed by a discussion with the author of the documentary Peter Schierl and director Lothar Riedl.

Embassy of Austria

Toni Erdmann

Directed by Maren Ade

(Germany/Austria/Romania, 2016, 162 min.)

A father who is a divorced music teacher and an old-age hippie of sorts — with a passion for bizarre pranks involving fake personas — decides to reconnect with his adult daughter, a high-powered business consultant posted in Bucharest (German, English and Romanian).

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

Italian

Red Desert

Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni

(Italy/France, 1965, 120 min.)

Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni's first color film is set against a forbidding industrial landscape, where the mentally fragile young wife of a factory engineer finds herself increasingly drawn to one of her husband's handsome associates (Italian and Turkish).

AFI Silver Theatre

Thu., March 23, 7 p.m.

Japanese

After the Storm

(Umi yori mo mada fukaku)

Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda

(Japan, 2017, 117 min.)

Dwelling on his past glory as a prize-winning author, Ryota wastes the money he makes as a private detective on gambling and can barely pay his child support. After the death of his father, his aging mother and beautiful ex-wife seem to be moving on with their lives. Renewing contact with his initially distrusting family, Ryota struggles to take back control of his existence.

Landmark's Theatres

Opens Fri., March 31

Mifune: The Last Samurai

Directed by Steven Okazaki

(U.S./Japan, 2016, 80 min.)

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Okazaki explores the career of Toshiro Mifune, one of the true giants of world cinema (English and Japanese).

Japan Information and Culture Center

Thu., March 23, 6:30 p.m.

Yojimbo

Directed by Akira Kurosawa

(Japan, 1961, 110 min.)

Toshiro Mifune is at his wily, charismatic best in this beautifully filmed, darkly comic masterpiece in which he plays a master-less samurai who exploits a war between two village clans for his own gain.

American History Museum

Sat., March 25, 2 p.m.

Kazakh

The Eagle Huntress

Directed by Otto Bell

(U.K./Mongolia/U.S., 2016, 87 min.)

Among the isolated Kazakh tribe in northwest Mongolia, eagle hunting has been practiced by men only. But Aisholpan, a 13-year-old girl, aspires to be the first female in 12 generations of her family to become an eagle hunter.

Yi Jie's family works sorting plastic waste from the U.S., Europe, and Asia at a recycling plant in China, where the children discover hidden treasures that give them a glimpse of a different, much richer life.

National Museum of American History

Sun., March 19, 3:30 p.m.

Silent

The Red Turtle

(La tortue rouge)

Directed by Michael Dudok de Wit

(France/Belgium/Japan, 2017, 80 min.)

This haunting and magical tale, told wordlessly but eloquently, is a simple fable of a man shipwrecked on a tropical island, and his efforts to survive. The island is populated by birds and crabs and is one day visited by a large sea turtle that seems to have mysterious intentions.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sat., March 25, 3:15 p.m.

West End Cinema

Spanish

Colombia: Wild Magic

(Colombia Magia Salvaje)

Directed by Mike Slee

(U.K., 2016, 90 min.)

From majestic mountain ranges with ancient glaciers, virgin jungles, open grasslands and desert plains, to vast rivers and teeming oceans, Colombia is a country with some of the most extraordinary creatures and diverse habitats on earth.

Carnegie Institution for Science

Sun., March 19, 7 p.m.

Dark Habits

(Entre tinieblas)

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar

(Spain, 1983, 114 min.)

Following her lover's fatal drug overdose, bolero singer and drug addict Yolanda seeks refuge in the Convent of Humble Redeemers, an enclosure dedicated to the rescue of wayward women with a past in drugs, prostitution and murder. But no redemption is in sight as this haphazardly run convent turns out to house a kitsch collection of vices and sins.

AFI Silver Theatre

Mon., March 13, 9:20 p.m.,

Wed., March 15, 9:20 p.m.

Death by a Thousand Cuts

Directed by Jake Kheel and Juan Mejia Botero

(U.S., 2016, 73 min.)

A Dominican park ranger was found brutally murdered by machete while patrolling for illegal charcoal production by Haitians farmers. With shocking revelations, this murder becomes the metaphor for the film's larger story of increasing tension between Haiti and the Dominican Republic over illicit charcoal exploitation and mass deforestation.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Thu., March 23, 6 p.m.

High Heels

(Tacones lejanos)

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar

(Spain, 1991, 112 min.)

This colorful blend of kinky sex, melodrama and murder features Victoria Abril as Rebecca, a news anchorwoman whose life turns upside down when her estranged movie-star/singer mother returns after 15 years to discover Rebecca married to one of her old flames. When Rebecca's husband turns up murdered, she confesses in a live telecast. But is she covering for her mother?

AFI Silver Theatre

Sun., March 26, 8:45 p.m.,

Thu., March 30, 9:30 p.m.

Kika

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar

(Spain, 1993, 114 min.)

This is the type of comedy that only Pedro Almodóvar could make — a daring farce which takes on motherhood, serial killers, reality television, suicide and media sensationalism.

AFI Silver Theatre

Fri., March 31, 9:40 p.m.

Labyrinth of Passion

(Laberinto de pasiones)

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar

(Spain, 1982, 100 min.)

Cornily named nymphomaniac Sexilia falls for Riza, the gay son of the Emperor of Tiran (a fictional Middle Eastern state), while Sexilia's psychoanalyst, Susana, has the hots for Sexilia's father, who unfortunately is a sex-averse gynecologist.

AFI Silver Theatre

Tue., March 7, 7 p.m.

Matador

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar

(Spain, 1986, 110 min.)

Diego is a former star bullfighter forced into early retirement after being gored by a bull. Maria is a femme fatale lawyer dressed to kill in androgynous business suits. A shared obsession with blood and murder brings the two into an alliance.

AFI Silver Theatre

Tue., March 21, 7 p.m.,

Wed., March 22, 9:25 p.m.

Salero

Directed by Mike Plunkett

(Bolivia/U.S., 2015, 76 min.)

Set at the dawn of the modern age on the world's largest salt flat, Bolivia's Salar de Uyuni, the film is seen through the eyes of Moises, one of the last salt gatherers, or "saleros."

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Tue., March 21, 9:30 p.m.

Samuel in the Clouds

Directed by Pieter Van Eecke

(Belgium/Bolivia/Netherlands, 2016, 70 min.)

In Bolivia, the glaciers are melting. Samuel, an old ski lift operator, is looking out of a window onto the rooftop of the world, where generations his family lived and worked in the snowy mountains.

Royal Netherlands Embassy

Wed., March 22, 6 p.m.

The Shepherd

Directed by Jonathan Cenzual Burley

(Spain, 2016, 105 min.)

Shepherd Anselmo lives a modest but happy life in a remote house on Spain's unforgiving central plain. When he refuses a lucrative offer from a construction company planning to build a new residential complex on his property, his life is turned upside down.

Former Residence of the Spanish Ambassador

Thu., March 16, 6:45 p.m.

The Swirl

(El Remolino)

Directed by Laura Herrero Garvín

(Mexico, 2016, 73 min.)

A tiny riverside community in Chiapas, the most flooded region in Mexico, El Remolino strikes a fragile balance between floods intensified by climate change and its natural bounty.

Mexican Cultural Institute

Wed., March 15, 6:45 p.m.

Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!

(Atame!)

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar

(Spain, 1990, 101 min.)

In one of Pedro Almodóvar's most risqué comedies, a newly released mental patient (Antonio Banderas) stalks and kidnaps the object of his obsession — former porn star Marina — and holds her captive until she falls in love with him, in a bizarre case study of Stockholm syndrome.

AFI Silver Theatre

Thu., March 30, 7:20 p.m.

What Have I Done to Deserve This?

(Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto?)

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar

(Spain, 1984, 101 min.)

Overworked Gloria takes multiple cleaning jobs to make ends meet. Her unforgiving life is inhabited by a cast of eccentric characters: an abusive taxi-driver husband who schemes to forge Hitler's handwriting, a drug-dealing teenage son who is the actual forger, an unappreciative mother-in-law and a prostitute neighbor who pays Gloria to sit in on sex acts she performs with exhibitionist customers.

AFI Silver Theatre

Tue., March 14, 9:20 p.m.,

Thu., March 16, 9:20 p.m.

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

(Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios)

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar

(Spain, 1988, 90 min.)

Dumped by her lover, soap actress Pepa is on a mission to track him down and deliver a message. Along the way, she's distracted by her ditsy friend, who has recently discovered her boyfriend is a terrorist; her ex-lover's son and his crazy mom, out of the asylum and ready for revenge.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sat., March 25, 7:30 p.m.,

Wed., March 29, 9:30 p.m.

Turkish

Kedi

Directed by Ceyda Torun

(Turkey/U.S., 2017, 79 min.)

Hundreds of thousands of Turkish cats roam the metropolis of Istanbul freely. For thousands of years they've wandered in and out of people's lives, becoming an essential part of the communities that make the city so rich. Claiming no owners, the cats of Istanbul live between two worlds, neither wild nor tame — and they bring joy and purpose to those people they choose to adopt.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sat., March 18, 5 p.m.

Landmark's E Street Cinema

Events - March 2017

EVENT CATEGORIES

ART

March 3 to May 31

El Vuelo y su Semilla

This exhibition of works by renowned Mexican artist Bestabeé Romero (Mexico City, 1963) is comprised of installation pieces and reflects on the identity and culture that Mexican immigrants carry with them. Romero's works explore these phenomena through symbolic objects, such as papel picado and tires, and culinary components, like bread and corn, underscoring the role that eating and cooking play in the formation and transformation of Mexican identity. The result is a body of work that places Mexican culture as a fundamental part of the migrant journey from Mexico to the U.S.

Mexican Cultural Institute

Through March 5

Gender Equality: We've come a long way - haven't we?

Sweden's achievements in gender equality are hailed as inspiring examples. Focusing on four sub-goals of gender equality set up by the Swedish government — equal division of power and influence; economic equality; equal distribution of unpaid housework and provision of care; and men's violence against women — this exhibition aims to inspire and reflect as well as discuss the changes that have been made and to initiate the changes still needed.

House of Sweden

Through March 5

Spirit of the Wild: Through the Eyes of Mattias Klum

All life on earth is interconnected. Cities, societies and nations depend on healthy natural ecosystems to survive and prosper. Mattias Klum, one of the most important natural history photographer of our time, shares the stories of his journeys; from deep in the Artic to wild places like the Borneo rainforest, to the savannahs of Tanzania and the life under the sea.

House of Sweden

Through March 5

Sweden's Freedom of the Press Unfolded

The freedom to express oneself in speech and writing is one of the basic human rights according to the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights from 1948. Sweden's Freedom of the Press Act was passed almost 200 years earlier, in 1766. This unique timeline exhibition reveals how Sweden's freedom of the press came about and focuses on some of the advances and setbacks that have shaped it.

House of Sweden

Through March 5

Viktigt by Ingegerd Raman

With love of craftsmanship and simplicity at the heart of it all, Viktigt pieces do their job in silence. Ingegerd Råman, the House of Sweden's own designer, explores the craftsmanship behind her IKEA collection of glass, ceramic, bamboo and natural fibers.

House of Sweden

Through March 5

Woodland Sweden

Nature is prevalent everywhere in Sweden and there is a long tradition of using nature's raw materials in the country's built environment. Wooden architecture and design, in fact, are becoming a new Swedish export item. This exhibition shows the rapid development of Swedish innovative contemporary architecture and examines different aspects of construction work with wood.

House of Sweden

Through March 5

Photography Reinvented: The Collection of Robert E. Meyerhoff and Rheda Becker

The collection of Robert E. Meyerhoff and Rheda Becker brings together works of critically important artists who have changed the course of photography through their experimentation and conceptual scope. Especially rich in holdings of work by photographers of the famed Düsseldorf School, among them Struth, Candida Höfer, Andreas Gursky and Thomas Ruff, the collection also includes examples by photographers exploring the nature of the medium itself, such as Demand, Cindy Sherman and Vik Muniz.

National Gallery of Art

Through March 5

Stuart Davis: In Full Swing

As one of the most important American modernists, Stuart Davis (1892–1964) blurred distinctions between text and image, high and low art, and abstraction and figuration, crafting a distinct style that continues to influence art being made today.

National Gallery of Art

Through March 6

Lens of Adventure

In 2016, Spaniards Mon Zamora and Raisa Leao decided to experience and document the nature, beauty and outdoor adventures around Washington, D.C., with the resulting 25 photographs on display, as well as the launch of their book "20 Weekend Trips Near Washington, D.C."

Inter-American Development Bank

Staff Association Art Gallery

Through March 11

Selfie: Me, Myself and I

This exhibition by the Sparkplug Collective features innovative work by eight local artists who will examine our cultural obsession with selfies and our narcissistic desire to record and manipulate digital representations of ourselves.

Flashpoint Gallery

Through March 12

Mehring / Wellspring: The Early Color Field Paintings of Howard Mehring

This survey samples reflects on the work of Howard Mehring, a native Washingtonian who became a leading figure in the loosely defined Washington Color School movement, a form of Abstraction particular to D.C.

American University Museum

Through March 18

Decolonizing Alaska

This exhibit explores how 31 native and non-native Alaskan artists are grappling with issues related to climate change and responding to socio-political conditions in the state. It will highlight themes related to Alaska's history with the colonization of native lands, how Alaska is sustaining its heritage and how Alaskans are responding to climate change. Among the works are Linda Infante Lyons' "St. Katherine of Karluk," which replaces symbolic elements of a Russian Orthodox icon with those of the native Alutiiq people of Kodiak, Alaska, an area greatly affected by Russian colonization.

The George Washington University's Corcoran School of the Arts and Design

Through March 26

The Great Swindle: Works by Santiago Montoya

Colombian artist Santiago Montoya uses paper currency as the base for his work, re-contextualizing one of our most basic and intimate relationships: the relationship with money. Comprised of works that Montoya has made over the last 10 years, "The Great Swindle" represents a sustained examination of the complicated, fluid relationships we have with financial systems, as well as a journey through the artist's forays into the materiality of paper bills — raising questions and taking positions on our place within the financial system.

OAS Art Museum of the Americas

Through April 23

Jacob Lawrence: The Life of Toussaint L'Ouverture

Featuring a series of 15 rarely seen silkscreen prints created by American artist Jacob Lawrence between 1986 and 1997, this exhibition portrays the life of Toussaint L'Ouverture (1742-1803), the former slave turned leader of Haiti's independence movement.

The Phillips Collection

Through April 30

500 Years of Treasures from Oxford

Founded 500 years ago in 1517, the library of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, is a repository of extraordinary treasures, few of which have ever been seen by the public. To mark the 500th anniversary, a selection of 50 manuscripts and early printed books, ranging in date from the 10th to the 17th centuries, is being brought to America for the first time.

Folger Shakespeare Library

Through April 30

Toulouse-Lautrec Illustrates the Belle Époque

Through his lithographs and posters, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec captured the heart of Parisian nightlife in dynamic cabaret and café-concert scenes inspired by the city's burgeoning entertainment district. This special exhibition presents, for the first time in the United States, one of the foremost collections of the artist's prints and posters. Nearly 100 examples of incomparable quality and color celebrate daily life and the premier performers of the belle époque — Aristide Bruant, Marcelle Lender, Cha-U-Kao and others — cleverly caricatured through Toulouse-Lautrec's perceptive skills of observation and transformation.

The Phillips Collection

Through May 13

Bordes/Borders

This contemporary video exhibit curated by Othón Castañeda features nine short films with borders as their main concept. The works were among a number of films submitted by international artists to the Bienal de las Fronteras, an artistic initiative that offers a platform to emerging artists of diverse backgrounds. This selection questions the boundaries of the biennial itself, including participating artists that establish an alternative view of the border, this time "from the inside out."

Mexican Cultural Institute

Through May 14

Border Crossing: Jami Porter Lara

While visiting a remote area along the U.S.–Mexico border, Albuquerque-based artist Jami Porter Lara found the remains of ancient pottery as well as plastic bottles discarded by migrants moving through the region. Intrigued by this juxtaposition, she began to reconceptualize the plastic bottle.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Through May 14

New Ground: The Southwest of Maria Martinez and Laura Gilpin

Contemporaries and friends, potter Maria Martinez (ca. 1887–1980) and photographer Laura Gilpin (1891–1979) brought the American Southwest into focus as a culturally rich region that fostered artistic expression. Martinez's bold adaptation of an ancient black-on-black pottery design technique reflected Pueblo artistic traditions and also appealed to the modernist sensibility. Gilpin was one of the first women to capture the landscape and peoples of the American West on film.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Through May 14

Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors

"Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors" is a celebration of the legendary Japanese artist's 65-year career and promises to be one of 2017's essential art experiences. Visitors will have the unprecedented opportunity to discover six of Kusama's captivating Infinity Mirror Rooms alongside a selection of her other key works, including a number of paintings from her most recent series "My Eternal Soul" that have never been shown in the U.S.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Through June 2

From the Desk of Simone de Beauvoir

Consider the influence and intellect of feminist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir in an interpretation of her Paris studio alcove. This installation invites visitors to reflect on Beauvoir's impact, not only in her time and not only as a feminist, but in our own time and in the areas of literature, philosophy and popular culture.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Through June 4

Della Robbia: Sculpting with Color in Renaissance Florence

Luca della Robbia, a master sculptor in marble and bronze, invented a glazing technique for terracotta sculpture that positioned him as one of the most innovative artists of the 15th century. Today, the sculptures created by Luca and his family workshop retain their brilliant opaque whites, deep cerulean blues, and botanical greens, purples and yellows over modeling that makes them powerful and engaging examples of Italian Renaissance art.

National Gallery of Art

Through June 11

Friends and Fashion: An American Diplomat in 1820s Russia

Focusing on 45 portraits from an album assembled by the family of politician and statesman Henry Middleton, this exhibition paints a captivating picture of diplomatic life in early 19th-century St. Petersburg. The intimate portraits, along with selected objects, images and publications, offer an exploration into a number of themes, including Middleton's posting in St. Petersburg and the historical events surrounding his time there, the family's social life in Russia, the artistic traditions of the period, and the elaborate fashions and hairstyles of the day.

Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens

Through Aug. 6

The Urban Scene: 1920-1950

American artists of the early 20th century sought to interpret the beauty, power, and anxiety of the modern age in diverse ways. Through depictions of bustling city crowds and breathtaking metropolitan vistas, 25 black-and-white prints in this exhibition explore the spectacle of urban modernity.

National Gallery of Art

Through Aug. 6, 2017

José Gómez-Sicre's Eye

A half-century ago, Cuban-born curator José Gómez-Sicre took the reins of the OAS's art program, thrusting himself into the rapidly expanding Latin American art world and bringing young, emerging talent to the OAS's budding exhibition space. Impassioned by the arts, Gómez-Sicre planted the seeds of what is today considered among world's finest collections of modern and contemporary Latin American and Caribbean art. The OAS will be celebrating the centennial of Gómez-Sicre's birth throughout 2016, honoring his contribution to the legacy of the hemisphere's art.

OAS Art Museum of the Americas

DANCE

March 1 to 5

The Washington Ballet: Giselle

Celebrating its 72nd year as an organization and its first season under the aegis of new artistic director Julie Kent, the Washington Ballet brings to life the classic ballet "Giselle," a treasured romance about love, betrayal and forgiveness. Tickets are $33 to $130.

Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater

Thu., March 9, 7 p.m.

OnStage Korea

The Korean Cultural Center in D.C. presents the inaugural "OnStage Korea" showcase featuring the renowned Korea National Contemporary Dance Company for the U.S. premiere of "Immixture," which creates visible music by combining sound and movement from both Eastern and Western traditions. There will also be a special performance by the Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company, D.C.'s leading modern dance company, now in its 25th anniversary season, of their original work "Confluence." "OnStage Korea" seeks to uncover and highlight brilliant artists actively performing in the U.S., Korea and around the world with an opportunity to showcase their creativity on stage for the American public in the capital region. Admission is free; for information, visit www.koreaculturedc.org.

Arena Stage

Sat., March 18, 8 p.m.,

Sun., March 19, 4 p.m.

Russian National Ballet Theatre

This ballet double bill represents some of the very best of classical ballet with all of the beauty, grace and passion that typifies the grand Russian ballet tradition. On March 18, the Russian National Ballet Theatre performs "Chopiniana" and Bizet's "Carmen." On March 19, it performs "The Sleeping Beauty," considered by many to be the finest achievement in classical ballet and the crowning jewel of Petipa's career. Tickets are $34 to $56.

George Mason University Center for the Arts

DISCUSSIONS

Mon., March 6, 6 p.m.

Queer as Volk

The Zeitgeist DC literature festival makes the richness of German-language literature accessible to English speakers by presenting the latest works of the literary scenes of Austria, Germany and Switzerland. To mark the occasion, the Goethe-Institut, Austrian Cultural Forum and Embassy of Switzerland invite three important emerging and established writers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland to America's capital to present and discuss their recent works. This year's theme, ‟Queer as Volk," will highlight new works in German that deal with themes of identification and queerness.

Human Rights Campaign

Tue., March 14, 6:45 p.m.

Mexico & Guatemala Mano a Mano with Guest Chef Mirciny Moliviatis

For centuries, Guatemala and Mexico formed part of the viceroyalty of New Spain under the Spanish Colony. From 1821 onwards, Mexico and Guatemala went on separate paths; however, their kitchens retain the memory of their shared past, not only under the Spaniards but also of their Maya heritage. Mexican chef Pati Jinich and Guatemalan chef Mirciny Moliviatis participate in a "mano a mano," of ingredients and dishes, that both unite and distinguish Mexican and Guatemalan cooking. Please call for ticket information.

Mexican Cultural Institute

FESTIVALS

March 2 to 31

Francophonie 2017

The D.C. Francophonie Cultural Festival celebrates the diversity and richness of the French language and francophone communities around the world through a series of cultural events and outreach programs presented every spring. This year's highlights include: "African Art on the Move" exhibit at the Embassy of Côte d'Ivoire (through April 2); "Hemingway in Paris and Spain" discussion at the Alliance Française (March 3); spring tours in French at the National Museum of African Art throughout the month; a Moroccan evening of live music, Berber culture and traditional cuisine at the Alliance Française (March 17); a French chanson recital by two Swiss artists, Laurent Brunetti and Mario Pacchioli, at the Embassy of Switzerland (March 23); "Places in Between" concert at the Embassy of Luxembourg (March 23); a Tahitian evening at the Alliance Française (March 24); and La Grande Fête closing celebration at the Embassy of France (March 31). For information and a schedule of events, visit www.francophonie-dc.org.

Various locations

MUSIC

Sat., March 4, 8 p.m.

Dobet Gnahoré

The Grammy-winning Ivory Coast-born singer and dancer, who performs in at least seven languages, returns to The Barns for an unforgettable and charismatic performance. Tickets are $25 to $30.

Wolf Trap

Sat., March 4, 8 p.m.

Kronos Quartet

One of the most innovative and eclectic forces in music for more than 40 years, the Grammy-winning Kronos Quartet launched and continues to lead a renaissance in repertoire for string quartet, having commissioned more than 900 new works and arrangements from composers from around the world. This concert is the first main stage performance in a five-year collaboration between Kronos and Washington Performing Arts, which also includes the quartet's ongoing participation in the Embassy Adoption Program. Tickets are $40.

Sixth & I

Sat., March 4, 7 p.m.

Tribute to Gardel

Teatro de la Luna presents a musical homage to the most prominent figure in the history of Tango, the unforgettable Carlos Gardel, with a special concert featuring acclaimed singer Omar "El Alemán" Fernández. Tickets are $35.

Rosslyn Spectrum Theater

Thu., March 9, 7:30 p.m.

Josemi Carmona and Javier Colina: De Cerca

Josemi Carmona and Javier Colina engage in a musical conversation, with echoes of deep flamenco joining their unique jazz swing to create a natural dialogue that blends different musical languages. Tickets are $15; for information, visit www.spainculture.us/city/washington-dc/.

Former Residence of the Spanish Ambassador

Fri., March 17, 7:30 p.m.

Hanka G., Jazz Soul Singer

One of the most admired and well respected jazz singers in Slovakia, Hanka G. has been performing on the domestic as well as international jazz scene for well over a decade now, with her signature musical style of jazz and soul music. Tickets are $95 and include buffet reception and wine; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org.

Embassy of Slovakia

Sat., March 25, 7:30 p.m.

The Four Seasons of Vivaldi and Piazzolla

Four seasons become eight when the National Chamber Ensemble presents "The Four Seasons," one of Antonio Vivaldi's most famous works, along with a reading of sonnets that provide a narrative for the music, as well as a multimedia presentation that includes photos, moving images and Vivaldi's own words that he wrote into the composition. Tickets are $33.

Rosslyn Spectrum Theater

Fri., March 31, 8 p.m.

Falu's Bollywood Orchestra

Lauded as "ethereal and transcendent" (Billboard), the internationally acclaimed Indian vocalist who has collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma, Ricky Martin and A.R. Rahman returns to The Barns. Tickets are $25 to $35.

Wolf Trap

SPORTS

Sun., March 5, 5 p.m.

Czech Heritage Night with the Washington Wizards

The Wizards host Czech Heritage Day as a way for the Czech community to get together to enjoy an evening of basketball and cheer for Wizards Czech star Tomáš Satoranský. Bring a small Czech flag to root on Satoranský as the Wizards take on the Orlando Magic. Tickets are available at www.msesales.com/wiz/czech (promo code: CZECH).

Verizon Center

Mon., March 6, 7:30 p.m.

Swedish Heritage Night: Washington Capitals vs. Dallas Stars

Enjoy this fun combination of hockey and a celebration of Sweden at the Washington Capitals NHL game against Dallas Stars. A Q&A session with the Swedish players follows the game, along with a chance to watch and play a game of broom ball. Tickets are $59 and available in the 421 and 422 sections (promo code: SWEDISH).

Verizon Center

THEATER

March 4 to 18

Champion

Grammy–winning composer Terence Blanchard uses jazz to tell the true story of Emile Griffith, a professional boxer from the U.S. Virgin Islands who threw a fatal punch in the boxing ring in 1962 after being taunted for his sexuality by his rival. "I kill a man and the world forgives me. I love a man and the world wants to kill me." Using a diverse soundscape along with powerful multimedia elements, this Washington National Opera production explores issues of race, sexuality and self-discovery. Tickets are $35 to $300.

Kennedy Center Opera House

Through March 5

As You Like It

Rosalind is banished from court and flees to the Forest of Arden, where she discovers Orlando and a world of passion and possibility in one of Shakespeare's most cherished romantic comedies. When she disguises herself as a man, enchantment abounds and blossoms into an exploration of the beauty and complexities of young love. Tickets are $35 to $75.

Folger Theatre

Through March 5

The Very Last Days of the First Colored Circus

Restoration Stage presents Steven A. Butler Jr.'s intense and heartwarming drama about black entertainers in 1920s America. Laced with infectious musical performances and set in his rural hometown, this must-see production is a love letter to the complicated lives, love and loss of the forgotten black circus performer. Tickets are $45 to $55.

Anacostia Playhouse

Wed., March 8, 7:30 p.m.

Illegal Helpers

Come witness an emotionally powerful documentary play by prize-winning playwright Maxi Obexer. It examines the plight of the illegal helpers who provide aid and shelter to migrants flooding Europe, even though assisting them is against the law. This play sheds a powerful light on the contemporary tragedy that threatens to engulf Western Europe. Admission is free; for information, visit acfdc.org.

Embassy of Austria

March 10 to May 20

Ragtime

Based on E.L. Doctorow's celebrated 1975 novel, the Tony Award-winning musical "Ragtime" confronts both the unbridled optimism and the stark reality of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. When the lives of a wealthy white family, a daring Harlem musician and a determined Jewish immigrant intersect, their fates are inextricably bound and profoundly changed. Tickets are $20 to $73.

Ford's Theatre

Through March 11

Dead Man Walking

This Washington National Opera production is based on Sister Helen Prejean's acclaimed 1993 memoir, which tells of her time working with death row inmates at Louisiana State Penitentiary and of a particular relationship she developed with one of the inmates. The opera explores the human conflicts posed by society's demands for vengeance and the Christian imperative for forgiveness and love. Tickets are $35 to $300.

Kennedy Center Opera House

Through March 12

King Charles III

The Queen is dead. After a lifetime of waiting, Prince Charles ascends the throne with Camilla by his side. As William, Kate and Harry look on, Charles prepares for the future of power that lies before him — but how to rule? Written primarily in Shakespearean blank verse, this modern history play explores the people underneath the crowns, the unwritten rules of Britain's democracy and the conscience of its most famous family. Please call for ticket information.

Shakespeare Theatre Harman Hall

Through March 19

The Taming of the Shrew

Come to "Paduawood" where Synetic Theater will spoof Hollywood's famous-for-no-reason socialites in this modern-day adaptation of one of the Bard's best-known romantic comedies. See the original battle of the sexes enacted with the dazzling choreography and physical comedy that only Synetic can deliver (no dialogue). Tickets start at $35.

Synetic Theater

Mon., March 20, 7:30 p.m.

Curie_Meitner_Lamarr_indivisible

This play focuses on the lives of three outstanding pioneers who represent the achievements of women in the fields of science and technology: The double Nobel Price winner and discoverer of radioactivity Marie Curie (1867-1934), the Austrian-Swedish nuclear physicist Lise Meitner (1878-1968) and the Viennese Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000) and her invention of frequency hopping. Admission is free; for information, visit acfdc.org.

Embassy of Austria

March 20 to April 9

The Night Alive

Playwright Conor McPherson's touching drama explores lost souls and the hope of redemption, with an ample dose of Irish wit. Tommy is a disheartened schemer, estranged from his family. One night, he saves a young prostitute, Aimee, and begins to feel that his life may indeed have a purpose. Yet, all of that may end, as an ominous and unwelcome man from her past appears. Tickets are $35 to $40.

Atlas Performing Arts Center

March 23 to 24

Theater by Palestinians: Where Can I Find Someone Like You?

In collaboration with the Sundance Institute, this U.S. premiere is written, produced and performed by Raeda Taha, who faces loss, the reality of being an orphan and the absence of a father who can never be replaced, while turning the women of her family into real-life heroines. Tickets are $15.

Kennedy Center Terrace Gallery

March 24 to 26

Sulayman Al Bassam: Petrol Station

Internationally acclaimed Anglo-Kuwaiti writer-director Sulayman Al Bassam returns to the Kennedy Center with a compelling drama that uses the setting of a deserted petrol station as a poetic space to explore the dysfunctions that arise from the chaos of oppression. Tickets are $15 to $39.

Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater

March 31 to May 7

A Raisin in the Sun

Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" follows the Younger family yearning for a better life far from the cramped confines of their Chicago tenement. Hope arrives in the form of an unexpected financial windfall, but when they realize they have differing definitions of the American dream, which dreams get realized and which deferred? Tickets are $40 to $90.

Arena Stage

Through April 2

The Select (The Sun Also Rises)

A stage littered with liquor bottles and café chairs seamlessly transforms itself from the bistros of Paris to the banks of the Irati River. As the story winds its way through France and Spain and lands in Pamplona where bullfighting and the fiesta rage in the streets, Ernest Hemingway's narrator carries the heavy burdens of a war injury and his inability to have the woman he loves. Please call for ticket information.

Shakespeare Lansburgh Theatre

Through April 9

Intelligence

Jacqueline E. Lawton's new political thriller explores the cost of deception and the consequences of speaking truth to power. "Intelligence" is a fictionalized account inspired by true events of a covert operative who, tasked with protecting the national security of the United States post-9/11, is racing to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. With her country at war, her cover is blown and the lives of her assets are put in jeopardy. Tickets are $40 to $90.